When I was growing up in Lae I remember swimming in a couple of pools that were available to the public, for a small fee of course.

Firstly there was the little wading pool at the Botanical Gardens. In the mid 1960's I recall going to the pool at the back of the Lae Squash Courts on 9th Street. In the late 1960's I then recall that the Hotel Cecil pool was repaired and opened to the public. Lastly, the Bulae School opened their own pool in the early 1970's.

Of course there was also Voco Point, the Roundwater and the various rivers around Lae if you didn't want to pay.

I also recall that there used to be a pool at the sea-end of the old Lae airstrip. I believe that it was closed and filled in with dirt/sand in the late 1960's. I think this is a picture of the airport pool taken in 1966.

The Botanical gardens pool I remember it well.Built by Rotary I think (good club-crap engines!) The Hotel Cecil pool had a gap between the ladder and the pool wall that you (at 10) you could swim through.
Mum used to play squash and we used that pool too. The pool near the Airstrip was disused even by 1964 when I arrived in Lae.
The other pool was the TAA Club???
We used to go there sometimes

I learned to swim in the Hotel Cecil pool, around 1962. I can't ever remember seeing the bottom of the pool - the water was never clear enough for that. In fact, I once lost my spectacles in the water there - dived in still wearing them. Amazingly, someone found them (probably with their feet), and I got them back!

I learned to swim in the Hotel Cecil pool, around 1962. I can't ever remember seeing the bottom of the pool - the water was never clear enough for that. In fact, I once lost my spectacles in the water there - dived in still wearing them. Amazingly, someone found them (probably with their feet), and I got them back!

remember swimming in hotel cecil pool with the gang we use to hang around with. Barry Nash and the Honey boys and bo copeland etc